WVU's Spiker to Receive Prestigious Honor

By Bryan Messerly

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June 05, 2012 12:39 PM

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MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – John Spiker, West Virginia University’s coordinator of athletic medical services, will be inducted into the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) Hall of Fame in St. Louis on Thursday, June 28.

The NATA Hall of Fame is the highest honor an athletic trainer can receive. Honorees are recognized for their work in advancing the athletic training profession, including scholarly research, clinical advancements and strong leadership. Since inducting its first class in 1962, the NATA Hall of Fame now has 277 members.

“I am absolutely thrilled,” says Spiker. “It is the greatest professional compliment I have ever received. It feels great to know that you might be recognized after you are long gone as one of those who contributed to improving the profession.”

Spiker has been with WVU since 1975 and served as coordinator of the athletic training curriculum until 1984. He assumed his current duties in 1991 and will be serving his 38th season with the WVU football program.

Spiker serves as coordinator of athletic medical services for the Mountaineer athletic program, overseeing the athletic training services for all sports.

Nationally recognized in sports medicine, the National Athletic Trainers Association named Spiker the 1980 Collegiate Athletic Trainer of the Year, a Distinguished Athletic Trainer in 1994 and inducted him into its hall of fame in 2012.

In 1993, he was inducted into the WVU School of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences Hall of Fame, named the WVU School of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences outstanding alumnus in 2007 and named to the Mid-Atlantic Athletic Trainers’ Association Hall of Fame in 2011.

A licensed physical therapist, Spiker is president of HealthWorks Rehab and Fitness, a clinic which specializes in orthopedic rehabilitation. He also spent two years as assistant athletic trainer at North Carolina and three years as an assistant athletic trainer at Pitt.

Spiker received his bachelor's degree in physical education from WVU in 1969 and his master's degree in education from Pitt in 1972. He earned his physical therapy certificate from Penn in 1973.

A native of Bruceton Mills, W.Va., Spiker and his wife, Sabra, have three children - Heather Throckmorton, Tim and Zachary.